Completely different from the love stories, which we were earlier familiar with, the novel, 'Journey of Two Hearts' by an IT professional Anuj Tiwari shows the influence of Internet world on modern day love stories. A masterpiece of English literature, I would recommend this novel to everyone who has loved somebody at least once in his/ her life.

IT IS the debut novel by Anuj Tiwari, who works with a prominent IT company. This is the first Indian novel, which narrates love story in the techno-cyber mode with the new evolved language of Cyber world by an Indian writer in English; it is an autobiographical work, consisting of 53 very short chapters. The novel delineates a true love story, which develops under the canopy of modern techno-cyber world comprising phone calls, Google talk, messages etc.

In this way it is completely different from the love stories, which we actually know and are familiar with. Even the names of the chapters show the influence of the cyber world and mobile phones like “Ring the bell”, Love @Google, Night Calls, Message for you, I am your MP3 etc which are very different from the love stories of 1950s and 60s where people interacted with letters and posts.

The novel starts when Anuj’s friend Maddy, has used his number to tease someone. Anuj feels very guilty for calling her. It was the number of a beautiful girl Pakhi. He has started loving her as we have seen in the most traditional Bollywood movies. Writer has unfolded his true love story. They loved and cared for each other, but suddenly twists and turns arrive, as we usually see in all love stories of all times. The author had described the scene of his love very beautifully:

Everything changed within few days and I smiled looking at mirror, I AM IN LOVE. FRIENDSHIP BROKE...LOVE INVOKE.”

After all sorts of loving atmosphere we see how things become difficult for protagonist Anuj. The confusions develop between Pakhi and Anuj. For example see the dialogue of Pakhi:

Just get out from my life; I don’t want to see your face in my life ever”

Anuj has done a great job in building the story. The way he has introduced and developed all characters individually by giving them a nice engaging story is great. The author was so much in shock about his beloved‘s behaviour. Anuj describes his each and every moment, which he has spent with his beloved; he also shares his own life and how he worked hard in college and his aspirations from life and the girl he hoped to love and marry him. He describes some emotional incidents of his life like the departure of his beloved Pakhi. The writer describes the separation with Pakhi very painfully:

“Are you really happy without me?

Will you celebrate your birthday on 30th May, happily without me?

Without you, everything is incomplete.

I have only e-mails, which you sent to me.

After our fights to make me feel happy again

You know that you shouted many times but now even I am missing that.”

It is quite interesting to know as Anuj has himself said that he has written this instance on the basis of his memory of love. In a manner, he seems to remember that moment and so it can be said that he is very subjective and personal while narrating the tale. Over the days, which he spends in the room have been very emotional moments as they both share their thoughts and through this they have developed a bond between them.

The novelist has ended the novel pouring his heart feelings and tried to convince her with these words about his true love and affection:
“Please come back, my heart still beats, just for you. This book is my gift for you. Now, I think no need to ask you that how much I love you.”

I have read a lot of books of Chetan Bhagat and he is one of my favourite authors. I saw a lot of resemblance and influence from his novels in this one. In the setting of the novel, we see love as main force performing upon the characters, as we see the love-affair of Anuj and his beloved Pakhi and later a much established love of Anuj towards her. The novel deals with the beautiful theme of love and survival. It inspires us that life is very beautiful and we should live it, no matter how worse are the situations we should seek our heart’s desire.

The main character, Anuj’s life is full of the joys and sorrows as unwavering by his fate, that is his destiny and so it is necessary to accept a good relationship to experience all that life has to offer him. The book comprises of 53 short chapters. Each chapter crafted wonderfully showing the pain, melancholy, love and excitement of Anuj’s life. It is a great and a unique work in the modern times. He has used many slogans in the novel to show the power of feeling of Anuj’s life. This shows writer’s fondness for English literature and language.

Through this novel, Anuj seems to take us back to the world of romantic age with the use of thoughts. It is a magnificent piece of work, reminding us of the typical novels of Sir Walter Scott and Frances Burney. The language and use of words and narration shows that the writer is knowledgeable in English literature. The writing style of the novel is really charming, forcing the readers to read again and again. Complete credit goes to the hard work of the novelist, who has engaged so much pain to write such a masterwork for the lovers of English literature. This is a good book and I would recommend this to everyone who has loved somebody at least once in his life.